Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 218E - Legislative Investigations and Hearings; Legislative Commission and Other Committees
NRS 218E.135 - Power to issue subpoenas; contents and service; legal force and effect; enforcement proceedings before district court.


1. For the purposes of conducting investigations and holding hearings in connection with the functions and duties of a committee, the chair of the committee may issue legislative subpoenas to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence that is pertinent to the committee’s legislative business or possible future legislative action.
2. To be properly issued, a legislative subpoena must:
(a) Be addressed to the witness;
(b) Describe the nature of the legislative proceedings for which the legislative subpoena is being issued;
(c) Require the attendance and testimony of the witness at a definite time and place fixed in the legislative subpoena or require the production of the documentary evidence at a definite time and place fixed in the legislative subpoena, or both;
(d) State particular reasons why the attendance and testimony of the witness or the production of the documentary evidence is pertinent to the committee’s legislative business or possible future legislative action; and
(e) Be signed by the chair of the committee.
3. A legislative subpoena may be served by any person who is 18 years of age or older.
4. If a legislative subpoena is properly issued to and served on a witness pursuant to this section:
(a) The legislative subpoena has the same legal force and effect as a subpoena or order issued by the district court; and
(b) The witness shall comply with the provisions of the legislative subpoena in the same manner as a subpoena or order issued by the district court.
5. In addition to any other remedies or penalties provided by law, if a witness fails to comply with the provisions of a legislative subpoena, the chair of the committee who issued the legislative subpoena, or the secretary of the committee on behalf of the chair, may file a petition to enforce compliance with the legislative subpoena in the district court for any county where the committee regularly holds its meetings or where the witness resides, works or maintains a place of business. The petition must:
(a) Set forth the name of the witness and, if the witness is a custodian of documentary evidence, the name of the organization for whom the witness serves as a custodian;
(b) Include a copy of the legislative subpoena;
(c) State that the legislative subpoena was issued and served on the witness pursuant to this section and provided the witness with notice of the definite time and place fixed in the legislative subpoena for the attendance and testimony of the witness or the production of the documentary evidence, or both;
(d) State that the witness failed to comply with the provisions of the legislative subpoena; and
(e) Request an order of the court enforcing the legislative subpoena and compelling the witness to comply with its provisions.
6. Upon the filing of the petition to enforce compliance with the legislative subpoena, the court shall:
(a) Enter an order directing the witness to:
(1) Appear at a hearing before the court at a time and place fixed by the court in the order, which must not be more than 10 days after the date of the order; and
(2) Show cause why the witness has not complied with the provisions of the legislative subpoena; and
(b) Serve a certified copy of the order upon the witness.
7. If, at the hearing to show cause, the court finds that the legislative subpoena was properly issued and served pursuant to this section and that the witness has not proven a reason recognized by law for the failure to comply with its provisions, the court shall enter an order requiring the witness to comply with the provisions of the legislative subpoena at a time and place fixed by the court in the order. If the witness fails to comply with the court’s order, the witness commits contempt of court and shall be punished as provided by law for such contempt of court.
(Added to NRS by 2013, 3740)

Structure Nevada Revised Statutes

Nevada Revised Statutes

Chapter 218E - Legislative Investigations and Hearings; Legislative Commission and Other Committees

NRS 218E.005 - Definitions.

NRS 218E.010 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.012 - "Documentary evidence" defined.

NRS 218E.015 - Power of Houses and committees to conduct investigations and hold hearings.

NRS 218E.030 - Power to issue subpoenas; exceptions.

NRS 218E.035 - Contents and service of subpoenas; legal force and effect.

NRS 218E.040 - Administration of oaths.

NRS 218E.045 - Conduct constituting contempt; enforcement proceedings before district court.

NRS 218E.050 - Power of Houses to imprison for contempt; issuance and service of citation for contempt.

NRS 218E.055 - Hearing on citation for contempt.

NRS 218E.060 - Arrest, fine and imprisonment upon finding of contempt; warrant.

NRS 218E.065 - Imprisonment for contempt not bar to other proceedings.

NRS 218E.080 - Power of Houses to provide for hearings and proceedings; unlawful for sworn witness to willfully misrepresent facts when testifying in hearing or proceeding.

NRS 218E.085 - Privilege regarding defamatory matter; unlawful for person to knowingly misrepresent facts when testifying in hearing or proceeding or in certain communications to Legislator.

NRS 218E.090 - Rules and privileges governing certain state employees who testify on their own behalf; required disclosures; unlawful for state agency to take certain actions because of such testimony.

NRS 218E.095 - Unlawful for person to neglect or refuse to obey subpoena, to be sworn, affirm or testify or to produce documentary evidence.

NRS 218E.105 - Definitions.

NRS 218E.110 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.115 - "Documentary evidence" defined.

NRS 218E.120 - "Secretary of the committee" defined.

NRS 218E.125 - Provisions supplement and do not impair other powers, privileges and immunities.

NRS 218E.130 - Power to conduct investigations and hold hearings; administration of oaths; deposition of witnesses.

NRS 218E.135 - Power to issue subpoenas; contents and service; legal force and effect; enforcement proceedings before district court.

NRS 218E.140 - Fees and mileage for witnesses.

NRS 218E.150 - Creation; membership; vacancies; officers; terms.

NRS 218E.155 - Meetings; rules; quorum; attendance of alternate members.

NRS 218E.160 - Compensation, allowances and expenses of members of Legislative Commission and Audit Subcommittee.

NRS 218E.175 - General powers and duties.

NRS 218E.180 - Additional powers and duties.

NRS 218E.185 - Investigative powers; delegation to certain committees and subcommittees.

NRS 218E.200 - Power to conduct studies and investigations; assignment of matters to Joint Interim Standing Committees; establishment of subcommittees and interim or special committees; designation of members; compensation, allowances and expenses of...

NRS 218E.205 - Priorities and limitations concerning studies and investigations; requests for drafting legislative measures; restrictions on staff; review and approval of budgets.

NRS 218E.210 - Biennial study of newly enacted statutes to determine any differential treatment of sexes or adverse effect on women.

NRS 218E.225 - Committee to review management, organization and operation of Legislative Counsel Bureau.

NRS 218E.240 - Creation; membership; meetings; quorum.

NRS 218E.255 - Creation; membership; functions.

NRS 218E.270 - Special committee to receive Governor’s message on condition of State.

NRS 218E.275 - Special committees to consider issues during legislative interim.

NRS 218E.320 - Creation; membership; officers; vacancies.

NRS 218E.325 - Meetings; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.330 - General powers and duties; budgets; reports.

NRS 218E.400 - Creation; membership; officers; terms; meetings; voting; investigations; hearings; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.405 - Exercise of powers and duties during legislative interim; performance of certain powers and duties during regular or special session; subcommittee to review matters involving State Public Works Division.

NRS 218E.420 - Creation; membership; budget; officers; meetings; investigations; hearings; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.435 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.440 - Creation; membership; officers; terms; vacancies; quorum; staff.

NRS 218E.445 - Meetings; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.450 - General powers and duties; cooperation of state agencies; reports.

NRS 218E.500 - Legislative findings and declarations.

NRS 218E.505 - "Subcommittee" defined.

NRS 218E.510 - Creation; membership; officers; terms; vacancies; alternates.

NRS 218E.515 - Meetings; rules; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.520 - General powers.

NRS 218E.525 - Additional powers and duties.

NRS 218E.550 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.555 - Creation; membership; budget; officers; terms; vacancies; reports.

NRS 218E.560 - Meetings; rules; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.565 - General duties.

NRS 218E.570 - General powers.

NRS 218E.600 - Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.605 - Creation; membership; budget; officers; terms; vacancies.

NRS 218E.610 - Meetings; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.615 - General powers.

NRS 218E.625 - Creation; personnel; general powers and duties; confidentiality of certain information.

NRS 218E.700 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.705 - Creation; membership; budget; officers; terms; vacancies.

NRS 218E.710 - Meetings; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.715 - General duties.

NRS 218E.720 - General powers.

NRS 218E.745 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.750 - Creation; membership; budget; officers; terms; vacancies.

NRS 218E.755 - Meetings; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.760 - General powers.

NRS 218E.800 - "Committee" defined.

NRS 218E.805 - Creation of Legislative Committee on Energy; membership; budget; officers; terms; vacancies.

NRS 218E.810 - Meetings; quorum; compensation, allowances and expenses of members.

NRS 218E.815 - General powers of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure.